Brothers of the Abyss
by edge of twilight
Summary: Ed is gone. Al tries to bond Ed's soul to his body. Unbeknownst to him it worked but each share a portion of the body at a time. Ed is ready to pass on, but somehow he can't bear to make his brother grieve him a second time, especially since someone has to protect his little brother from the outer world- set after Brotherhood.


Ahem.. Hello reader, Edge here,

Some things to explain before we dip our toes into this story.

Story name may change...

When Al does the soul transfer well... doing that isn't a clean cut thing. In doing so he's fragmented Ed's mind in more ways than one…

Also a couple terminology terms for you:

I'll be referring to Al's body as the 'host body' sometimes.

Alters – refers to the different personalities.

Coconscious means can another alter hear or see what's happening around them,

I hope that clears things up I will try to cover multiple personality disorder responsibly…

I'll try to update every 2 weeks (Not including this week)... Pretty much already started chapter 2 U

Summary:

Ed is gone. Al tries to bond Ed's soul to his body. Unbeknownst to him it worked but each share a portion of the body at a time. But somehow he can't bear to make his brother grieve him a second time, especially since someone has to protect his little brother from the outer world. Angst, AU.

Chapter One: Chimerization

Truth chuckled. The creature was sitting next to Ed beckoning for Alphonse to come over, with a hand. They were on a field?

Ed piped up. "Come on Al, he's actually a nice guy once you get to know him, and not always the sort that stays in doors." He finished his sentence with a charismatic grin and chuckled.

What was funny about Truth being outdoors?

Truth could only be found at one place. The Gate of Truth.

"Listen, I've got to tell you something…"

You have nothing to tell me, you aren't real.

"I-I'm dead Al, that's something you can't ever change but that isn't important right now, we have bigger fish to-"

It felt so authentic. The blades of grass tickling his ankles. The sun. Resombol. Their house.

Resombol before their house burned down?

"You aren't alive! This isn't real." Al parroted, pulling back.

"I know- Al, you aren't listening to me."

The ground seemed to fall apart creating a chasm between them and thunder roared behind.

"Not good. This was nothing how Ling told me it was like…" Ed huffed blowing his bangs obscuring his sight. Floating in a sea of voraciousness, my ass. I suppose this is Alphonse, not Greed. Al has always had a close connection with nature. Ed smiled to himself thinking of all the birds that had landed on Al's armour during their journey, the stray kittens. Even before Al's soul was cladded in steel, butterflies would land on Al and fish would flock to him. He just had that sort of warm, collected personality. The sort of person always there for you but gives you enough room to grow. That was Al.

"Keep calm Al, I'm coming over."

Ling? What did Ling have to do with this? Greed? He thinks I'm calm, I'm not- I think I just heard my brother's thought's!

"Don't you'll never-"

Ed stepped back getting some distance and leapt across the ravine. Trying to close the distance between him and his brother. For a second it looked like it would have worked… Al tensed and his side of the cliff jolted up.

Alphonse swiftly shot out his hand but all it did was briefly brushed Fullmetal's and tore his glove from his hand, the ex alchemist fell and so did the young alchemist's smile.

"Al…wake up, you dummy."

"BROTHER!"

The world began to crumble and Al slipped too his tears falling shortly behind him.

Al shot up from futon in a cold sweat. He looked over to Mei for reassurance, it was a dream. Thank goodness. His Xingese princess was lightly snoring aside him on a pillow, cocooned by a blanket. She looked so snug and peaceful. Despite his unexpected night terror Alphonse couldn't bear to wake her up. He lay there for a while, watching Mei fidget and the curls of hair gently sway with her breath.

Within the last couple of months, the Xingese Princess had taken to facing away from Alphonse when they slept. She never tended to face away from him often and when she did, she'd giggle and snort suggesting they'd 'touch bums,' seeing it as a silly but romantic thing to do – but lately she wasn't even doing that. Along with the fact she'd opted to sleep in her own futon, as opposed to the double one they shared.

Al couldn't really work out why this had started to happen, it was after Ed died for sure. It was the little things he'd began to notice that made him feel distant, the ever so prominent lack of affection. Mei was a happy-go-lucky soul. She'd hug if she wanted to hug but lately it had been as if she was waiting on him instead…

In Xingese culture men were always supposed to make the first move, maybe it was that? Or perhaps she was getting bored of him. He'd never been with a woman before so in all hindsight maybe this was normal and he was overthinking things. If so, this wouldn't have been the first time he'd gotten a stupid idea in his head that was purely fabricated by his emotions. After all, at one point he'd questioned if he was just a toy for Ed to manipulate, he thought his own brother had simply created him for his own gain. The same person who gave his arm for him would of given his heart for him, essentially willing to die for him at any given moment.

Al made himself small, hugging his knees and gave a slight whimper hoping it would wake Mei up.

Alchemy served as the alchemist's anxiety relief as it always had throughout the years, it reminded the blonde of his brother, mum and his dad. He lit a candle and began reading a new chapter of his book, beginning to concentrate sharply and let his guarded and raised shoulders fall. Luckily his favourite book (that wasn't his brother's travel journal), was beside him today. A couple times that book had been found in some rather precarious places, at one point it had fallen down the toilet and Alphonse had to request a spare, another time Xiao-Mei had taken to eating it and then it had been left by the cooker. Alphonse had never put it there, as far as he could remember. No doubt Mei had something to do with it, however Alphonse not being the confronting type always neglected such thoughts and called it the work of fairies. Scapegoating on them – creatures of Irish folklaw was no doubt the best way to passively avoid an argument. Al was good at that…

Perhaps the books malevolence scared Mei. It was not even the worse in his connection prior- he had one about human transmutation, a couple on chimeras… This particular book that 'got stolen by pixies a lot', was a volume of Tim Marcho's, the very man who'd produced the philosopher stone. The man was a doctor, a talented one at that. Al aspired to be like him without the whole sacrificing souls to heal your victims part.

Adding, Cretian and Aerugoian Alchemy from his brother's expeditions, in addition to his own- Xingese Alkahestry, Al was in a long production of making a book himself. He was considered a prodigy for his work, of which he'd always modestly decline such a title. He may have revised the notes, put them in a readable manner and got rid of casual swears jotted down, but his brother had made them. He'd only slipped in what May and the clans had taught him.

Al adored reading through his brother's notes. It made him feel like they were travelling together again, that he was there. In particular, Aerugo's medical advances, took his interest. As a small country specializing in trade it only seemed fitting that they'd have some rather unusual techniques. Ones the dogs of Amestris had yet to goble up -more interested in warfare under King Bradley's rule, their precious medical history had yet to be untouched. Ed must of gave them something of great value to have notes of their work. Part of the reason Al had yet to publish was because he was unsure whether to disclose such diversive techniques.

Fancy new arrays had dotted those pages, ones drawn with great balance and many triangles, sometimes squares. Their alchemy featured on the core principle idea of taking pain from a person and passing it on to others. Often referred to a 'pain-split,' in their texts. When an Aerugoian had fatal wounds it was highly common practice for a large crowd of people to make contact with them under a transmutation circle and all shower the experience. The more people the better and faster everyone healed. Ten people would still feel the pain and wound of a broken leg, a hundred people hardly, a thousand felt nothing. The people had also crafted ways for the technique to be used for mental health, soul/body swapping and a pain relief technique. These medical concepts were akin to equivalent exchange and Al felt comfortable with that knowledge. He just wished he knew of it earlier.

It was a shame, however, that Drachma due to it's aggression towards state alchemists and the military had not let Ed into their borders. Before his elder brother had gotten to relinquish his title and for Furher Roy to ease tensions between the two countries, Edward had died an early death. After his brother had come back from his trip they'd planned to go together. From that point on Alphonse had delayed their book. He'd never intended to finish it really, not without his big brother, even if it meant his book would be left to waste away to be eaten by woodlice or snails. He'd wait.

Some time passed and Al's belly groaned but he was too tired to slip out of his futon. Mei would probably make him breakfast in the morning – at the very least she still persisted to make breakfast for him and considering she was royalty that was an honour. Though Mei had always been someone that didn't care much for lineage. When she had brought Alphonse back to her clan, she'd fought tooth and nail so she could be with him and not the suitors her family had proposed. So with a little persuasion and with Al's background of being one of the Elric brothers they eventually gave in, after all Al had a history that exceeded him, he had Hohenheim knowledge of alchemy and being one of the savours of Amestris was more than enough to be worthy of Mei's hand. Still the clan pestered them for an heir, Mei and Alphonse having a child would very well put them to a better political advantage. Being news, it would get the relatively small clan noticed and in the paper's headlines once more.

Al's eyes began to feel heavy, he moved closer to his spouse and hesitantly put his hand around her, tucking her close and inhaling her sweet perfume. One he got for her from Amestris – he gave a large grin to himself, she still wore it. His fingers gently traced her wedding ring and he managed to find make armistice in that… She wouldn't wear it if she hated him.

The morning light peering from the curtains soon woke the male. He glanced to the ceiling, this wasn't his bedroom. This was that damn room with the broken light he was constantly fixing. He pulled his legs off the sides of the couch and rubbed the sleepy dust pinching the corners of his eyes. He had a splitting head ache, one that left him with a sense of vertigo. Fortunately, the aroma of Mei's cooking and sweet humming took his mind off it and he stumbled to the kitchen.

"Alphonse Elric," she squeaked waving a spatula. "You sleepwalked again! At this rate I will have to seal you to the bed."

Al gave a whine scratching his cheek with a finger, "Sorry Mei! I keep doing that."

She shook her head and put a finger on Al's lips to silence him, "We'll just have to fill you up with an even better breakfast, I made your fav! Apple pie. I may have stole the recipe from Winry. I'm sure she won't mind."

Al's eyes sparkled with delight as the plate was thrust in front of him and he began to dig in. Meanwhile Mei sat down next him reclining in her seat, resting her cheek on her hand, a green tea in her other hand offering a sincere smile. As her husband held his head again, her smile dismantled.

"It's nothing I just need some water." Al reassured. "No, no I'll get it. Honestly it's probably just dehydration again." He rinsed his cup out and refilled it before sitting back down. Mei didn't look pleased.

"I'm really glad to see you're more with it today, I mean you're more tired, but with it. I really think we should see a doctor for your blackouts and sleepwalks." She stirred her cup and watched the liquid swirl around after the spoon had stopped. "Honestly… I'm worried Al."

Silence followed as Alphonse struggled to find words and Mei took that as a sign she to continue, even if neither of them want her to. "Ever since you burned that mark into your chest you haven't slept well. I think you should remove it."

"I can't do that! I'm probably just stressed!" Al cried leaping up from his chair at such a force it fell over. "I can't ever- I can't believe you'd suggest that! This mark is a reminder. Of everything…"

He squeezed his eyes together as tears threatened the corners of them… It had only been 3 months since brother had died. How could Mei be so heartless.

"You really can't ask me to."

"Al…" She hectored, like a mother toward a guilty child who'd stole a toy and reached out to him.

He couldn't acknowledge the reality they both knew, something was wrong with him and it had transpired by that mark. The mystery of what was wrong however was enticing to Al, like it's own mystery in which he could make countless theories. It was addicting, as a doctor in training, he wanted to cure it all without getting rid of his array. If he couldn't cure it without removing the circle- even better, it meant he'd succeeded, probably... He'd come to the conclusion that Truth had probably took his memories, sections of them, as part of the toll. Had he been a psychologist he would have been even more happy of the connotations that his blackouts gave.

"You don't even care." Alphonse snapped slapping her hands away. "You won't even hug me anymore and I don't know why!"

"That's beca-"

The door rang, "Oh that's Winry. I'm going to get some fresh air."

Alphonse, left the intense atmosphere glad to have an excuse to get out of this painful conversation. Given the intensity he would have got up and left anyway if Winry hadn't rung. The past couple of months had boiled and finally it had popped, despite feeling terrible he was glad some of the tension was relieved. He'd get the tail end of it later somehow. Mei's eyes shadowed him as he walked out.

Her brow furrowed as she scanned the younger Elric's back cautiously. Over the months he looked more and more like his older brother. She was sure he'd noticed too. Al's side fringe had grown out and his hair now reached his shoulders. Actually, now she'd analysed his face she realised his cheeks had more baby-fat on them. Where has my Alphonse went… she sighed.

"I'll put some tea on." Mei chirped far too sweetly to herself, had Al been with her for one more year, he'd learn that honeyed tone meant things weren't right.

Mei knew what she had to do to settle her doubts. Her heart sunk, worried what she may find sensing Al's chi intensely, why did she feel so disgusted with herself? She hadn't sensed life energy in a while, as the fighting with Father had stopped she hadn't needed to except from the odd sparing match she had with Alphonse. In fact, another sparing match was long-due - they hadn't sparred since she had totally beat Al one day. He hadn't put up much of a fight, hitting his punches far too low to connect. He seemed occupied and lost in the moment, now had it been his short big brother he was punching they would have linked.

Mei gave a frown to her findings - it was barely there, a small candle to a fire, nevertheless there was a flicker of something that wasn't Alphonse Elric mixed in. It wasn't just one additional light either. Al's chi was still flared up defensively and irritated, subsequently it was hard to detect. The additional chi felt like a non-hostile 'micro' philosopher stone, in actuality one was leaning on Al's it almost looked like it was trying to soothe him. Mei lolled back in her chair in thought.

All of this time she had thought Al didn't want to kiss her, or touch her because he wasn't in the mood. Her cheeks flushed a shy red, pervert. The other day he hadn't wanted to drink milk either! That explained it… With Winry's arrival she'd have to keep a level head and amusingly watched how Winry's presence effected the smaller chi.

"That microscopic flea!" She shouted hoping to reach Al's ears, before springing up and switching the kettle on.

Oof hope that was okay for the first chapter,

Long day at work tomorrow and I was really hoping to get this posted otherwise it's gonna bug me all tomorrow XD Truth be told I actually had two versions of this story, one where the boys were younger (11-12) and this one… but decided to go for this story – (mostly due to the fact FMA's plot would render Al/Ed dead… Automail has saved Ed's life so freaken many times haha…)


End file.
